Singh-Wen meeting sent 'positive' signal for ties: China media

Prime Minister Manmoman Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao's meeting in Hanoi sent out a "positive" signal ahead of the Chinese Premier's India visit as they agreed to seek "a just and reasonable" solution to the border issue, the official media here said today.

"Beijing and New Delhi on Friday agreed to seek a just and reasonable resolution to their border dispute, sending out a positive note ahead of Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to India later this year," 'China Daily' said in its report on yesterday's Singh-Wen meeting , titled 'Seeking Consensus on Border Dispute."

It noted that Wen said during the meeting, which took place on the margins of the ASEAN Summit, that there is enough space in the world for both China and India to develop and cooperate and that he is willing to visit New Delhi to celebrate 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties."

The daily said that after their closed-door discussions, Wen and Singh reached a "consensus" on maintaining the "peace and calm of border areas" and expressed willingness to explore ways to solve border conflicts in the spirit of mutual respect and understanding.

"Wen also said China is willing to work with India on major global issues to protect the interests of developing countries," it said, highlighting Singh's comments that Beijing and New Delhi are friends rather than rivals and bilateral ties have brought substantive benefits to the people of the two countries.

In a detailed report on the meeting, Xinhua news agency said both the leaders agreed to take into consideration each other's concerns, maintain peace at borders and work for just settlement of border dispute.

"Based on the spirit of peace and friendship, equality and consultation and mutual respect and understanding, China and India would take into consideration each other's concerns and work for an equitable and just settlement of border issues that was acceptable to both sides," it said.

Both China Daily and Xinhua made no reference to the contentious issues like stapled visas being issued by China to Kashmiris.

Officials here regard the reference about addressing "mutual concerns" significant as it gives hope that China perhaps would address New Delhi's key concerns before Wen's visit to New Delhi in December.

Also Wen's assertion that the two countries will "reach consensus" on "some major aspects" before his visit to India gives an impression that China could initiate some moves to assuage India's feelings.